FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Med Sci / Epidemiological study on equine coccidiosis in North and Nor...
Veterinary medicine and science2023; doi: 10.1002/vms3.1197

Epidemiological study on equine coccidiosis in North and Northeast of Iran.

Abstract: Eimeria is a genus of protozoan parasites that infect many animal species, including horses. We conducted a cross-sectional study of indigenous breeds of horses from the North and Northeast of Iran to establish the prevalence and distribution of Eimeria species. Methods: Using standard coprological techniques, 340 faecal samples from randomly selected horses (141 from North Iran and 199 from Northeast Iran) were examined for Eimeria oocyst. Results: Out of 340 samples, only three from north Iran were positive for coccidiosis. Infections occurred by Eimeria leuckarti. The mean intensity of oocyst output (3-38 o.p.g.) was very low. No clinical signs of gastrointestinal disorders were noticed in horses during this study. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the prevalence of Eimeria species causing coccidiosis in indigenous breeds of horses from the North and Northeast of Iran is relatively low. These findings provide valuable insights into the health status of indigenous horses in Iran and may help guide future efforts to promote their welfare and productivity.
© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2023-07-04 PubMed ID: 37401927DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1197Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Case Reports

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study investigates the prevalence and distribution of Eimeria species, protozoan parasites causing coccidiosis disease, in indigenous breeds of horses in North and Northeast Iran. The study finds that the occurrence of this disease is relatively low in these regions.

Study Design and Methodology

  • The study conducted is a cross-sectional type where it explores the prevalence of Eimeria species, which are protozoan parasites that infect numerous animal species, particularly horses, in North and Northeast of Iran.
  • To determine the existence and distribution of Eimeria species, the researchers gathered 340 faecal samples from randomly chosen indigenous horses, with 141 from North Iran and 199 from Northeast Iran.
  • These faecal samples were inspected for Eimeria oocysts using standard coprological techniques, which include procedures and methods to identify and count the number of oocysts in the faecal matter.

Study Findings and Results

  • Out of the 340 faecal samples tested, only three samples from North Iran tested positive for coccidiosis caused by Eimeria species. These three infections were specifically due to Eimeria leuckarti.
  • Furthermore, the mean intensity of oocyst output, ranging from 3 to 38 oocysts per gram (o.p.g.), was fairly low. This output represents the amount of Eimeria parasites excreted in the faecal matter.
  • No clinical signs indicating gastrointestinal disorders were reported in the horses during this study.

Conclusions

  • The research concluded that the prevalence of coccidiosis, an infection caused by Eimeria species, in indigenous breeds of horses in North and Northeast of Iran is quite low.
  • The results of this investigation are beneficial in assessing the health condition of indigenous horses in these regions of Iran.
  • The findings can aid future initiatives to enhance the welfare and productivity of horses in the regions under study, provided that the disease can significantly impact the health and productivity of the animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Gorji FF, Sadr S, Borji H. (2023). Epidemiological study on equine coccidiosis in North and Northeast of Iran. Vet Med Sci. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.1197

Publication

Veterinary medicine and science
ISSN: 2053-1095
NlmUniqueID: 101678837
Country: England
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Gorji, Faezeh Faghihzadeh
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Sadr, Soheil
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Borji, Hassan
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Grant Funding

  • 56860 / Ferdowsi university of Mashhad

References

This article includes 30 references
  1. Abbas I, El-Alfy E, Al-Araby M, Al-Kappany Y, El-Seadawy R, Dubey J. Prevalence of Eimeria species in camels (Camelus dromedarius) from Egypt and variability in structure of Eimeria cameli oocysts. Journal of Parasitology 105(3), 395-400.
  2. Attia MM, Khalifa MM, Atwa MT. The prevalence and intensity of external and internal parasites in working donkeys (Equus asinus) in Egypt. Veterinary World 11(9), 1298.
  3. Bianchi MV, de Mello LS, Wentz MF, Panziera W, Soares JF, Sonne L, Driemeier D, Pavarini SP. Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis in horses in Southern Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária 28, 443-450.
  4. Blake DP, Worthing K, Jenkins MC. Exploring Eimeria genomes to understand population biology: Recent progress and future opportunities. Genes 11(9), 1103.
  5. Bundina L, Khrustalev V. The first detection of Eimeria leuckarti in horses on the territory of the Russian Federation. Russian Journal of Parasitology 35(1), 7-12.
  6. De Souza P, Bomfim T, Huber F, Abboud L, Gomes R. Natural infection by Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia sp. and Eimeria leuckarti in three groups of equines with different handlings in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Veterinary Parasitology 160(3-4), 327-333.
  7. dos Santos CS, Berto BP, Jesus V, Lopes CWG. Eimeria leuckarti Flesch, 1883 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from horse foals in Rio de Janeiro. Coccidia 2(1), 40.
  8. Dubey J, Lindsay D, Jenkins M, Bauer C. Biology of intestinal coccidia. In Coccidiosis in livestock, poultry, companion animals, and humans (pp. 1-36). CRC Press.
  9. Dubey JP, Bauer C. A review of Eimeria infections in horses and other equids. Veterinary Parasitology 256, 58-70.
  10. Fletcher SM, Stark D, Harkness J, Ellis J. Enteric protozoa in the developed world: A public health perspective. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 25(3), 420-449.
  11. Gajadhar A, Lalonde L, Al-Adhami B, Singh B, Lobanov V. Foodborne apicomplexan protozoa: Coccidia. In Foodborne parasites in the food supply web (pp. 101-147). Elsevier.
  12. Gülegen E, Girisgin O, Girisgin AO, Cirak VY. Eimeria leuckarti infections in sport horses in Northwest Turkey. Berliner und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift 129(1-2), 52-55.
  13. Gutiérrez-Expósito D, García-Bocanegra I, Howe DK, Arenas-Montes A, Yeargan MR, Ness SL, Ortega-Mora LM, Álvarez-García G. A serosurvey of selected cystogenic coccidia in Spanish equids: First detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Europe. BMC Veterinary Research 13(1), 1-9.
  14. Hirayama K, Okamoto M, Sako T, Kihara K, Okai K, Taharaguchi S, Yoshino T, Taniyama H. Eimeria organisms develop in the epithelial cells of equine small intestine. Veterinary Pathology 39(4), 505-508.
  15. Jenkins E, Backwell A-L, Bellaw J, Colpitts J, Liboiron A, McRuer D, Medill S, Parker S, Shury T, Smith M. Not playing by the rules: Unusual patterns in the epidemiology of parasites in a natural population of feral horses (Equus caballus) on Sable Island, Canada. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 11, 183-190.
  16. Jota Baptista C, Sós E, Madeira de Carvalho L. Gastrointestinal parasitism in Przewalski horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). Acta Parasitologica 66, 1095-1101.
  17. Kalef DA. The prevalence of the genus Eimeria in Draught and Al-Fourosia club horses of Baghdad Province. The Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Medicine 39(1), 70-74.
  18. Ghahfarrokhi EK, Ahmadi A, Gholipour shahraki S, Azizi H. Eimeria Leuckarti (Flesch, 1883; Reichenow, 1940) from worker horses and donkeys of Shahrekord, Iran. International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research 2(6), 1980-1984.
  19. Kompi P, Molapo S, Ntsaoana M. Prevalence and faecal egg load of gastrointestinal parasites in horses in Maseru District Lesotho. Journal of Animal Health and Production 9(1), 5-12.
  20. Kornaś S, Skalska M, Basiaga M. Occurrence of intestinal parasites in foals from big herd farms. Medycyna Weterynaryjna 67(6), 402-405.
  21. Lyons E, Tolliver S. Prevalence of parasite eggs (Strongyloides westeri, Parascaris equorum, and strongyles) and oocysts (Emeria leuckarti) in the feces of Thoroughbred foals on 14 farms in central Kentucky in 2003. Parasitology Research 92(5), 400-404.
  22. Lyons E, Tolliver S, Collins S. Field studies on endoparasites of Thoroughbred foals on seven farms in central Kentucky in 2004. Parasitology Research 98(5), 496-500.
  23. Marinković D, Nešić S, Katić-Radivojević S, Đoković S. Fatal diarrhoea due to Eimeria leuckarti in a Horse. Journal of Comparative Pathology 148(1), 81.
  24. Mulwa N, Githigia S, Karanja D, Mbae C, Zeyhle E, Mulinge E, Magambo J, Ogolla K. Prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in donkeys in selected abattoirs in Kenya. Scientifica 2020, 5672140.
  25. Ola-Fadunsin S, Daodu O, Hussain K, Ganiyu I, Rabiu M, Sanda I, Adah A, Adah A, Aiyedun J. Gastrointestinal parasites of horses (Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758) and risk factors associated with equine coccidiosis in Kwara and Niger States, Nigeria. Sokoto Journal of Veterinary Sciences 17(3), 35-43.
  26. Sazmand A, Bahari A, Papi S, Otranto D. Parasitic diseases of equids in Iran (1931-2020): A literature review. Parasites & Vectors 13(1), 1-19.
  27. Studzińska MB, Tomczuk K, Sadzikowski AB. Prevalence of Eimeria leuckarti in young horses and usefulness of some coproscopical methods for its detection. Bulletin of the Veterinary Institute in Pulawy 52, 541-544.
  28. Tavassoli M, Dalir-Naghadeh B, Esmaeili-Sani S. Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in working horses. Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences 13(2), 319.
  29. Tyrnenopoulou P, Boufis PT, Fthenakis GC, Papadopoulos E. Interactions between parasitic infections and reproductive efficiency in horses. Parasitologia 1(3), 148-157.
  30. Yun C, Lillehoj H, Lillehoj E. Intestinal immune responses to coccidiosis. Developmental & Comparative Immunology 24(2-3), 303-324.

Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Lu Y, Ru P, Qin S, Zhang Y, Fu E, Cai M, Tuohuti N, Wu H, Zhang Y, Zhang Y. Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China. Vet Sci 2025 Jul 6;12(7).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci12070644pubmed: 40711304google scholar: lookup
  2. Phetkarl T, Fungwithaya P, Lewchalermvong K, Sontigun N. Prevalence of gastrointestinal and blood parasites in horses of Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. Vet World 2024 Nov;17(11):2460-2468.
    doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.2460-2468pubmed: 39829659google scholar: lookup
  3. Rahnama M, Siamardi AA, Alipour Eskandani M, Lotfalizadeh N, Sadr S, Saadati D, Khedri J. Exploring the prevalence and impact of Ligula intestinalis infection across fish species in Sistan region, Iran. J Parasit Dis 2024 Sep;48(3):630-637.
    doi: 10.1007/s12639-024-01678-ypubmed: 39145356google scholar: lookup
  4. Faghihzadeh Gorji F, Sadr S, Eshrati H, Borji H. An investigation of the prevalence of equine filariosis in North and Northeast of Iran. J Parasit Dis 2024 Mar;48(1):163-167.
    doi: 10.1007/s12639-023-01643-1pubmed: 38440766google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.